World Languages, August 17, 2009
Comment from JAK: Nobody could accuse the World Languages Department of not being thorough! Some quick responses to issues that you raised: 1) I'm not certain that "interdisciplinary" has a precise definition. It could equally be having a guest speaker from another department or incorporating into your own curriculum connections to other disciplines; 2) you can easily use the "search" function in ATLAS to look for "existentialism" in other maps. Just use the button on the top of the page; it is the first one, before "develop;" 3) you ask how will teachers know what other teachers in their grade leves are teaching--ah ha, the function of the curriculum maps precisely (and hopefully, this wiki could help too). But I like your suggestion about using faculty meetings to this end as well; we can work on that. Later on you detail some technology frustrations, I am working on this. We have a new technology committee, and I has asked Maria Rodriguez to be on it but she declined; we need a representative from World Languages. Any volunteers? Do you ALL have document cameras to use? I agree, they are a great tool to have in your classroom. I use mine all the time. Now, on to the content: I think the ideas you suggest for interdisciplinary learning are excellent. I hope you will reach out to the other departments to try to develop some work together in the areas that you suggest. The Bolivia example is a good one. You might also think about Spain's leadership in the production of wind power--that could be another opportunity for World Languages and Science, and maybe even Social Science as well. I hope you are finding the maps in ATLAS to help you address the first content/skills issues that you raise, the question of review at the beginning of each year. The maps should be a good tool to help you see what has been accomplished, and what needs to be accomplished, to assist in developing curriculum and a scope and sequence that helps smooth the transition. Similarly, if you are diligent about reporting in the maps, you should be able to use the maps to help you study how and when you incorporate conversation into your curriculum. And quickly, a last point as a word of encouragement, I do appreicate the discussions you have had in your department within the last year about assessment; I urge you to use a department meeting to review assessments at various levels together. One easy way would be to simply upload some assessments into ATLAS, then you could easily look at not only the assessment, but the content and skills that are being assessed, together, even if you all were not physically in the same place.
World Languages, Nov 4, 2009 (heritage)
World Languages, Oct 7, 2009
World Languages, August 17, 2009
Comment from JAK: Nobody could accuse the World Languages Department of not being thorough! Some quick responses to issues that you raised: 1) I'm not certain that "interdisciplinary" has a precise definition. It could equally be having a guest speaker from another department or incorporating into your own curriculum connections to other disciplines; 2) you can easily use the "search" function in ATLAS to look for "existentialism" in other maps. Just use the button on the top of the page; it is the first one, before "develop;" 3) you ask how will teachers know what other teachers in their grade leves are teaching--ah ha, the function of the curriculum maps precisely (and hopefully, this wiki could help too). But I like your suggestion about using faculty meetings to this end as well; we can work on that. Later on you detail some technology frustrations, I am working on this. We have a new technology committee, and I has asked Maria Rodriguez to be on it but she declined; we need a representative from World Languages. Any volunteers? Do you ALL have document cameras to use? I agree, they are a great tool to have in your classroom. I use mine all the time. Now, on to the content: I think the ideas you suggest for interdisciplinary learning are excellent. I hope you will reach out to the other departments to try to develop some work together in the areas that you suggest. The Bolivia example is a good one. You might also think about Spain's leadership in the production of wind power--that could be another opportunity for World Languages and Science, and maybe even Social Science as well. I hope you are finding the maps in ATLAS to help you address the first content/skills issues that you raise, the question of review at the beginning of each year. The maps should be a good tool to help you see what has been accomplished, and what needs to be accomplished, to assist in developing curriculum and a scope and sequence that helps smooth the transition. Similarly, if you are diligent about reporting in the maps, you should be able to use the maps to help you study how and when you incorporate conversation into your curriculum. And quickly, a last point as a word of encouragement, I do appreicate the discussions you have had in your department within the last year about assessment; I urge you to use a department meeting to review assessments at various levels together. One easy way would be to simply upload some assessments into ATLAS, then you could easily look at not only the assessment, but the content and skills that are being assessed, together, even if you all were not physically in the same place.